Distilling petroleum under high pressure



C. E. STOCKFORD.

DISTILLING PETROLEUM UNDER HIGH PRESSURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAX 8. 1915.

" Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

s'lT-ED' sT CHARLES E. s'rocx'ronn, or BROOKLYNQNEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO. STANDARD OIL COMPANY on NEW YORK, OF NEW YORK, IN. I, A CORPORATION or NEW-YORK.

. Applicationfiled ma a,

i T a all-whom itimag concern Be it known that I, CHARLES-E. STOCK-- FORD, a citizen of the United, States, residing at New York city, Brooklyn Borough,

Kings County, in the. State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Im-.- plrovements in Distilling Petroleum Under igh Pressures, of which .the following ls-a specification. v a 1 This inventionrelates In part to the construction and use of a special still setting,

and in part to'a-special method of firing the still, all in connection', at least primarily, with the distillation of petroleumat decomposing. temperatures and under high pressures, say'seventy to seventy-five pounds per square. inch above atmospheric pres I 'sure with theoil in distillation at temperatures' above 700 F. Each of the improvements composing the invention is intended to. 'be secured for all the uses to which it can be applied 'with or without';;modification;

' I at the close of this specification.

but the invention is not concerned with set-,

tings for steam boilers, methods of firing .sions, substitutions and 1 additions can be made indefinitely, so long as the substance is retained of any one or more of the claims For firing the still'it is considered advantageous touse an open topped firechamv her and an open: topped communicating flue (with intervening bridge wall and with gas burners in the flue); above which fire chamber, bridge. wall, flue and gas burnersthe still is mounted. With these heating means difficulty was at first experienced from overheating the still bottom above the bridge wall, which resulted in the bulging out ofsaid still bottom at this point in the volved repeated repairs performed by suit-v ably heating the bulged out metal with a 'flame of aeriform fuel. and: oxygen and thenpressing it back to its"original position.

The present inventor has discovered that this local overheatingcan be largely at least avoided without diminishing the heating effect needed to maintain the still contents at the desired high temperatures by estab lish'ing' such a distance between the bottom of the still and the top of the bridge wall Specification of Letters Patent.

-' bridge wall thereof;

"may be preferred; 1 v

F igs. 4, 5 and'6 areviews in section illus-' trating the manufacture of the still proper;-

etall'views ofa portion DrsTILLINe PETROLEUM uNDER HIGH ,rnnssuan- 1915 Serial no. 26,861.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922. i

that the flames from said fire chamber are deflected into" a direction more nearly horizontal than vertical by the time they reach the still bottom.- p upwards of a thirdof the'diameter of the still in order that su'flicient-deflection may In the accompanying drawings: v

F 1g. 1 is a vviewin section and elevation of apparatus in accordance'with the in'ven-' .tlon.;' J 2 is a view in plan of portions-of the appliances for conductlng vapors from the still; i

sion valve, which may be used or not, as

Figs. 7 and 8 are of the firing means; and

Fig. 9 is a-detail View of sedimeiitegaileetors (false bottoms), within the-still. The' still a, which may 'be taken to be Said distance should take place in the large volume of fire gases flowing from the fire chamber over the Fig. '3 isadetail view 'ofa vapor eXpa'nabout ten ,feet' in diameter by about forty I feetv in length, ,may' .be composed' of'four body sheets I) of rolled steel, each about ten feet wide by about thirty feet long,'and two heads 0 each about ten feet .in diameter.

The heads 0 are swaged or otherwise brought into the.flanged form shown; and one atleast of'them is provided with a manhole. Each body sheet is bent into annular form with the margins lapped (Fig. 6) and is retained -;in this position by clamps d;

whichare, spaced from thestill. sheet'by washers e; and whose ends are secured by bolts f; The belt holes are filled when the bolts shall have;been removed, v

The lapped margins are heated locally to welding temperature by, means. of a flame of aeriform fuel and oxygen (air-) App'as ratus for producing such flames is known and is not, represented. The clamps d are' removed whenever-they are in. the way.

When a convenient length has been heated', the overlapped vmargins therein are com- 1-05' pressed and unified by hammering, an anvil (not-shown) being pl'afced on the inside.

. 'One'of the so formed annular still see tions. is united in a similar way to oneofthe still lheads. {For example, the margin at one end f-the section can be swaged outwardly the clamp 1 rods integral with each other.

and slipped over the flange on the still head; and the parts can be held together by clamp rods 9 during the heating and hammering. As shown, these rods are hooked at one end over the edge of the still section and con-v nected at the. other end with a yoke k by means of nuts 71 engaging screw threads on as required.

Still section is united to still section in like manner until a still body of the desired length has been obtained; and the second still head'is then applied. I

For retaining the second still head in place during the Heating and hammering use may be made of clamp rods j connected at each end with yokes h bymeans of nuts 2' engagingscrew threads on the clamp rods.

Until the second head is in place the anvil can-be inserted and held through the 'open end of the last applied still section;

and when the second head is in place it can pansion and contraction at a different rate from the portion of thestill to which they are attached, it is less important to have them practically integral with the still sheets than it is to have these practically In Fig. 4, however,-one of the manhole fittings k is represented as being secured to the still head in the manner in which the still sheets. are

' united to each other;and this mode can be i used also for other fittings. Referring to Fig. 4, the margins of the manhole in the still head are spread outward; the fitting isslipped-in; the parts are held together by clamp rodsjn and yokes or cross pieces 0 p, each clamp rod being headed at one end and provided f-with a nut z' engaging screw threads at theother. The lapped margins are heated to welding temperature, compressed and unified, the clamps being shifted as required.

In securing the brackets m to the still it is well to use rivets and to. weld the inside head of each rivet to the wall of the still by the aid of. the blast of aeriform fuel and oxygen (air) with, such hammering as may be necessary or expedient. Such welding may be performed in other locations where rivets are employed orotherwise. For ex.- ample, the collars q can be so welded. The

. holes for bolts 7 of Fig.6 can, for example,

g. The clamps are shifted would be appropriate for an internal pressure of seventy to seventy five pounds per square inch above atmospheric pressure.

What are considered the best heating means comprise an open topped coal burnfrom pipe w; because the cheapest form of coal does best with a forced blast; but it is not essential to the invention that fuel requiring a forced blast should be used. The

fire gases flow from the fire chamber 1 over the bridge wall 3 to the fiue s and thence by a continuation flue z to the chimney Q. A damper 3 is shown in flue 2 for checking the draft as required. or for closing the flue 2 when necessary. Below each gas burner t is an air duct 4 roofed with a perforated plate 5. At the outer end of-each air duct is-a damper, asindicated at 6 in Fig. 7i.

Each burner 25 receives gas and air from a gas main and an air main (not shown) through valved branch pipes 7 and 8, respectively.

The still a. is mounted above the fire chamber? and-flue s in such manner that the bottom. thereof is exposed directly to the fire; The distance between the bottom of still a and the 'top of the bridge wall ;1 should be upwards of a third of the diameter of the still a. For a still ten feet in diameter a distance of four feet six inches has been found advantageous and is considered as good as any.

The still a is upheld'in any. known or suitable way by means of the brackets m, and

it is bricked in below said brackets in any known or suitable way; but it is considered desirable to expose to the fire only about a third (more or less) of the circumference of the still; in'order that the so exposed portion will remain covered with liquid when distillation has been carried as far as it would ordinarily be desirable to carry it under the high pressures mentioned.

" From the fitting l a vapor pipe 9 leads to a water cooled condenser 10; from which the pipe 11 leads to the tank 12, having a valved liquid draw-off 13 and a valved gas evolved in the still a. Said valves can be opened to let off the accumulations of the gases and of dlstillate respectively. The

pressure can be shown by a gauge 1'50. If,

instead of condensing the vapors in condenser 10 under' the high pressures under which they are evolved in the still a, it

60 filling line (not shown). At 'aypeep' should be desired effect condensation uni the, still a in order that condensate found- '30 indicated in Fig. 2.

der atmospheric pressure, a suitablerelief or expansion valve can'be placed in the "vapor pipe 9. In---'Fig..3 a needle valve 15 is shown in af reduced descending portion of the .vapor pipe 9 for this purpose. 4

The vaporpipe 9 is shown as rising from therein may run back into the still 0,; The

exterior surface of this pipe is exposed 'to.

vthe atmosphere for cooling; The still-0,. is

shown as provided with -a-,heat retaining jacket Never the top as well as over the ends; but, while considered advantageous,

itiis not 'considered'essential that the still should be so jacketed.

The vapor pipe 9 would best be provided with a .stop valve 17 l which 'is normally full open in running; butswhich can be closed when for any reason it is-desired to prevent the assage of the vapors onward in pipe 9.

away; say to'a water cooled condenser (not shown). 1

be connected with two vapor pipes- 9, as

Within the still a is shown a sedimentcollectorin the form of curved plates 19,- .separatel hinged to the still-wall on each side'of t e still and suitably spaced therefromto allow the flow (indicated by ar rows-'inFig. 1) of. oilandvapors between 'said' plates and'the still"walls.'= Adjacentplates'overlap at all their contiguous mar so thatthe division between the under- V ying and the'overlying spaces is continuone; and. the liquid mustenter and leave thennderlying' space at the margins only. of the sediment collectorpf- Plates which. are hinged on opposite" 'sides'lof 'the stillinterlock,-a's shown in -Fig.-

This pre' tents the plates from descending lower, but 7 i 7 still while (2) :causmg the' flames fromtheir hinges when desired as, "for example, 1 in cleaningthe still in orderto. give'access to the underlying still bottom. One on does not interfere with lifting'them" up on more sediment collectors? (false bottoms):

may be used. Two are shown 1 and 9. 1

At-each of-the 21 a manually operated valve is, indicated.- The still-a is shown as provided with .asteam inlet 7 pipe 22 and .ap'umpifig outline 23. It.

would-best befiHedthr ugh' one of the top manholes vk froma conveniently located hole. At 25 is a tubule for connecting a safety valve, a pressure gauge or the like with the still.

The still a is filled" totlie desired height,

. t such time branch pipe-18- would be opened to conduct. the vapors say. 66% full. :Until distillation I commences' the entire heating may well be performed by .the fire of coal in fireplace 1-.

During this time, of bringing in the still it is not important that the flames should be deflected into a position more nearly horizOntal than vertical. Hence it isconsi'dered well to introduce a, much larger volume of airunder the grate of fire chamber 1- at' this time than later. After a'proper'temperature has been attained, distillation commences and isperform'ed under the de-' sired high pressure, say seventy to seventy five pounds per square inch above atmospheric pressure supplementary heating is ture of' gas and air) from burners t;' and her 1* and the outflow ofproducts of combustion, (controlled by damper 3) are so performed by the'co'mbustion of gas. (IIllX- the volume of air fed to the fire in cham-' adjusted thatthe flames from .fire chamber 1', passing-out over the bridge wall 3 are deflected into .a position more nearly hori- -zontal than vertical before theyfreach that portion of the still.,'bottom which overlies Said bridge wall and consequently do not heat 1 the still bottom so intensely at this place as they otherwise would. The volume I of air fed to the fire in chamber 1* must be suflicient to maintain thestill contents at a temperature suitably above 700", F. to

e'flect distillation under-the desired pres i sure. With a still a ofjthe abovementioned dimensions good results havebeen obtained with air supplied .below rate at of chamber-- r at the average rate ofa out three hundred.

and fifty 'cublc' lieet per minute (measure ment under atmospheric temperature and pressure).. This/would be roughly-in thef ratio of about a cubic foot of air per minute for each seventy-five gallons of still capacity,in other words about ten-per cent of 'said'still".capacity; and such ratio can' be taken as standard, but 'Jcan be increased or: diminished as much as may be desired consistently with the two condi tions of (1)]supplying su flicient heat to the chamber 1" toassume a dlrection more nearly wells and consisting. mainlyg-[of hydrocan bone with boiling points above 572 F.-the-- "temperatures. in the oil in distillation and;

also th vaporsjn fitting Zv were "between 700 F. and 800 F. during about all of' the run. Thoseinthe vapors at the highest point of. vapor-pipe 9 were for the most part between 300 F. and 400 F. It re;

quired about fourteen hours to bring in the still and about thirty-four hours to complete the run distillate equal to between fifty and sixty per cent of the still charge by volume being collected; These figures can be varied. 1

"Hydrocarbons composing the gas oil or fuel' oil are decomposed at the high ternperatures; and lower boiling hydrocarbons are formed; which pass over to the condenser 10 and are condensed therein as dis.- tillate;

At the close of the run the fires are drawn; and the distillate is collected for a time. Then the stop. valve 17 is: closed; and the pumping out line 23 is opened; and

-when the pressure inzthe still has sufficiently fallen steam is let in from pipe 22. Later steam is shut off manholes are opened; and the powder which collects on the collecting plates 19 and on the still bottoms is swept tiallyas described.

up with wire brooms and shoveled out.

AL-petroleum still to beef practical size must have a capacity of not less than about one thousand cubic feet; so as to receive "a charge. of not less than aboutfive thousand gallons of petroleum, when say sixty-six per cent full, as herein above set forth. A still of ten feet in diameter and forty feet in length, as herein above setforth, would, of course, have a capacity of about 3,000 cubic feet, and would receive a cha'rge of about 15,000 gallons when 66% full.-

I claim as my invention or discovery:

1.- A high pressure petroleum still of horizontal'cylindrical form provided with heating means in the form of an open topped fire chamber and an open topped heating flue communicating with said fire chamber by an. open topped passage over the bridge wall of the latter, so that the still bottom above said bridge wall andelsewhere over substantially its .entire area between the side walls of the furnace is directly exposed to the fire gases flowing from said' chamber over said bridge wall through said flue, said still being so disposed as toleave between the bottom thereof and the top of the bridge wall a distance of upwards of a third of the diameter of the still, substan- 2. A high pressure petroleum still of hori: zontal cylindrical form ovided (1) with manhole and vapordischarge fittings, (2). with means vfor holding the still contents under superatmospheric pressure, and (3) with heatlng' means for raising the still contents to above 700 E, the said heating means being in the form of an open topped fire chamber and an open'toptped heating flue communicating with said re chamber by an open topped passage over the bridge will of the latter, so that the still bottom above said bridge wall and elsewhere over subtially its entire area between the side walls of the furnace is' directly exposed 'to the fire gases flowing from said chamber over said bridge wall through said flue, which said still is so disposed as to leave between, the bottom thereof and the top-of the bridge wall a distance of upwards of the still, substan-'- a third of the. diameter of tially as described.

3. The method of firing a high 'presure petroleum still which has a capacity 'of not less than about one thousand cubic feet and which has previously been charged with petroleum of appropriatecharacter in suitable volume by bringing flames and-fire gases directly into contactwith the bottom of the said still, suitably elevated above a bridge wall and having its said bottomdirectly exposedto said flames and fire gases above bridge wall and elsewhere .over substantially its entire area between the sidewalls of the 'fu'rnace, producing said fire gases in sufficient volume and at suf- I fficient temperature to raise the contents .of the still to decomposing temperatures above 700 F., and so adjusting the inflow of air and the withdrawal of combustion products relatively to'the area incross section of the open topped passage. above said bridge wall thatthedirection of the flames on reaching the still bottom; above said bridge wall shall be more nearly horizontal than vertical,

substantially as described. 1 v 4; The method of firing a high pressure petroleum still at decomposing temperatures above v700 F. by means of an" open topped fire chamber and an open topped flue, 'both of them underlying said still, and communieating with each other by an open topped passage above a bridge wall under the still bottom at a distancetherefrom of upwards of a third ofthe diameter of the still, which said method consists in bringing flames and fire gases directly into contact with thestill bottom, ahove said bridge wall and else where over substantially its entire area between the sidewalls of the furnace','produc-' ing said fire gases "in suflicient volume and at suflicient temperature'to raise the contents-of still to decomposing temperatures above 700 '11, feeding air at the rate of about ten per cent per minute ofithe capacity ressure petroleum still of horitain the latter with its charge of petroleum at decomposition temperatures above 700 -F. and which comprise an open topped fire chamber and an open topped heating flue communicating with said fire chamber by 'an open topped passage over the bridge w'allof the latter, so that the still bottom above said {bridge wall and elsewhere over substantially its'entire area betweenvthe side wallsof the furnace is directly exposed to the fire gases flowing fromsaid chamber over said bridge [thus reaching said'still'v bottom in a direc- Y substantially-as described. v 8; The method of firing a high pressure wall through said flue, said-still being so 'disposed as to leave between the bottom thereof and the top of the bridge wall a" distance'of upwards'of athird of the diameter of the still, substantially as described.

v6. A high pressure petroleum still of'ho rizontal cylindrical form provided with heat- 'ing means which: comprise (1) an open topped fire chamber, (2) an opentopped heating flue communicating with-said fire chamber by an open topped passage over the 7 bridge wall of the. latter, and (3) supple mentary firing appliances within said flue, arranged .to' produce flames. at numerous points covering the main part at leastof the area between the said bridge'wall and the end of the still, said stillbeing so disposed as to leave between the bottom thereof, and

the top of the bridge vwall a distance ofup- "wards of a third'of the diameter of the still, substantially as described- 7. The method of firing a high pressure petroleum still in a distillation wherein petroleum in batches is gradually heated to above 700 F. and is subsequently maintained at decomposing temperatures above 700 F. under appropriate superatmospheric pressure, which method consists in bringing (1) the inflow of air' and (2) the withdrawal than vertical, the free space below the still temperatures appropriately above '700 F. to .be maintained in the still by the flames tionfmore nearly horizontalthan vertical,

petroleumstill at decomposing temperatures above -700 Fpby means of an open topped fire chamber and an open topped.

said still, and v bridge wall that is locatedat' a distance,. from the still bottom of 'upwardsoffon'e-third ,offthe diameter of the still, the saidstill flue, both 'offthem underlying communicating with each ot I topped passage above a bridge wall] under the still bottom at a distance therefrom of upwards of a third 'of 'the diameter of the a111, whichysaid method consists in burning the fuel for heating the still mainly in said,

er by an open fire chamber but in part also in said open numerous points covering the main part at vtopped flue, with production-of'flamesat' v '10 least of the area between said. bridge-wall and the .end of the still, andlso adjusting the inflow of air and the withdrawal ofthe combustion products that thedirection of f I i the flameson reachingthe still bottom above said bridge wall shall be more nearly, horiscribed.

9. A high pressure a capacity of notless than about one thousand-cubic. feet and of horjzontal cylindripetroleum still with zontal. than vertical, substantially las decal form, provided with heating means which. are-so proportioned relatively .to the capacity of said still" asto maintain the. latter with its charge 'o'f'petroleum at de composition temperatures above 7009, F.

and which comprise (1) an open topped fire. chamber, an open topped heating flue v communicating with said, fire chamber vby an open topped'passage over the'bridge wall of thezlatter, so that the still bottom above said-bridge wall and elsewhere over substan v 'tiall'yits entire area between the sidewalls of the furnace is directly exposed to the fire gases. flowing from said chamber over said flue arranged to produce flamesatnumerous points covering the main part at .least of the area between-said bridge wall and the bridge wall through said flue,' and' '(-3) supplementary firing appliances within said' end of the still, said still being so dis osed I as toleave between the'bottom' theme and wards of a third 0 the diameter of the still tion of fire gases in said fire chamber and the top of the brid' e wall a distance of .up-

the withdrawal of combustion productsfrom said firechamber can be adjusted rela-' f tively tothe area in cross section'of the passage above" thebridge wall in such manner that the direction of the flames from said fire chamber on reaching the still bottom i being also provided with manhole and va-- above said bridge wall shall be more nearly horizontal than vertical, and the said still per dischargefittings filldxWlthjIIlBfiIlS for holding the still co ntents under appropriate superatmospheric pressure during 'distillation, substantially as described.

10. I The-method. of firing'achigh asta petroleum (still, with a capacity of not, less than. about one thousand cubic feet and of topped flue which communicates with each, ot er by an open topped passage above a having previously been charged with pehorizontal cylindrical form, overlying'an, open 'topped',.fire. chamber and an open v ate troleum of appropriate character in suitable Volume, which said method consists in (1) burning the fuel for heating the still mainly in said fire chamber but in' part also in said open topped flue with production of flames at numerous points covering the main part at least of the area between said bridge wall and the end of the still, (2) bringing flames and fire gases directly into contact with the bottom of said still above said; bridge wall and elsewhere over substantially the entire area of said still bottom between the side walls of the furnace, (3) producing said fire gases in suflicient volume and at suflicient temperatures to raise the contents of the still to decomposing temperatures above 700 F., feeding air at the rate"- of about ten per cent per minute of the capacity of said still to the fire in said chains said fire chamber on reaching theistill bottom above said bridge wall shall htivdbecome more nearly horizontal than'vertical,

as may be perceived by inspection through a peep hole 'substantiall as described.

y In testimony whereof afiix my signature.

CHARLES E. STOGKFORD. 

